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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23271100">Their relationship</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CMDAK/pseuds/CMDAK'>CMDAK</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Their relationship [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>James Bond (Craig movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, M/M, Protective James Bond, Protective Q, hints of bad things happening in the distant past</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 08:01:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,295</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23271100</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CMDAK/pseuds/CMDAK</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>All of the friendships Q formed paled in comparison to what he had with James and it was known to all the agencies that if you upset one, you upset the other. While no one was sure quite yet which was worse – angry boffin that might as well be magic with all he could do, or angry spy with a licence to kill who knew how to make you suffer without actually touching or ending your life – they all agreed that it was best to let that be a mystery for all eternity.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James Bond/Q</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Their relationship [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1842235</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>300</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Their relationship</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I don't know where this came from but it was a pleasure writing it - except when I didn't know where it was going.</p><p>Hope you all enjoy~</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Some missions were harder than others and some forever remained embedded in James’ mind, the horrible things he saw and experienced surfacing in the nightmares that haunted him when he was at his lowest point.</p><p> </p><p>It was always him staring at a dark room that smelled bad that was at the end of a long hallway with sticky floors and suspicious puddles that James did his best to pretend they weren’t there even though he was careful to step around them. The few times he’d had this dream, he woke up sure that he was on the verge of a heart attack but after so many years, he knew what he needed to do and how to bring it to a quick end: get to that room fast before the memories of missions he considered to be failed got mixed in.</p><p> </p><p>The room would move further away but because James knew this to be a dream, he ordered it back to right where it was an in two strides, he was staring down at a tall, thin man with dirty long hair and tired green eyes chained to the desk.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you always this slow?”</p><p> </p><p>It was after that question that he would wake up, heart still beating pretty hard, hand already on his work phone to make sure that he hadn’t missed any emergency calls. The lack of any notifications helped somewhat but he’d also send out a text just to be sure even though he was aware that he might not get an answer until the morning since—</p><p> </p><p>His phone buzzed once and James was back up on his feet, trying to grab his weapon and pull his pants on at the same time while also struggling to unlock his phone without falling on his face.</p><p> </p><p>He flopped down on the bed on sighed in relief when he finally managed to read the text. It read: ‘<em>I’m fine.’</em> Then the phone buzzed again. ‘<em>Would you feel better if you came over? I read your mission report.</em>’</p><p> </p><p>‘<em>I wouldn’t want to intrude on your couple time</em>,’ James typed even though he had started to get dressed. He could always stop in one of his favourite ‘watering holes’ for a drink or five if the offer was rescinded.</p><p> </p><p>‘<em>You can’t have couple time if you’re no longer part of a couple.</em>’</p><p> </p><p>James’ lips thinned and he glared at the message. The joy at that bastard being gone from the picture paled to the anger he felt knowing what his absence meant. ‘<em>Do you want me to bring anything?</em>’ Like someone’s head on a platter?</p><p> </p><p>‘<em>Just yourself in one piece and without any speeding tickets.’</em></p><p> </p><p>***</p><p>The bare minimum that was expected from a relationship between an agent and their Quartermaster was trust. If there was also some form of respect sprinkled in there then it was an outright miracle. Not that anyone had anything against a Quartermaster befriending their agent but it was genuinely agreed that it was in the best of everyone involved if that didn’t happen given the agents’ proclivity for passing on violently and unexpectedly despite their retainer’s best efforts.</p><p> </p><p>The current incarnation of the MI6 Quartermaster took it as a personal insult when that was pointed out to him after he ended up in Medical due to exhaustion and some of the higher-ups suspected that he befriended every agent just to spite them and prove them wrong.</p><p> </p><p>All of the friendships Q formed paled in comparison to what he had with James and it was known to all the agencies that if you upset one, you upset the other. While no one was sure quite yet which was worse – angry boffin that might as well be magic with all he could do, or angry spy with a licence to kill who knew how to make you suffer without actually touching or ending your life – they all agreed that it was best to let that be a mystery for all eternity.</p><p> </p><p>And yet, even though they feared the duo, they would still be surprised to find out that they each had keys to their apartments as well as their own sides in each other closets – it would also certainly clear up part of why someone like Q couldn’t find someone and why James kept getting dumped when he wasn’t in ‘agent’ mode.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you need your bandages changed?” Q asked after James was done petting the two needy cats who had known even before the hi-tech security system that someone was approaching the apartment – because of course, Q’s cats loved James.</p><p> </p><p>Now, in public and in the presence of Q’s nosy boffins – as well as security cameras manned by HR – James would have quipped something back be done with it. But in private, he had no reservations about ditching his jacket and shirt to lay Q’s worries to rest. “Broken ribs don’t bleed, so your sheets are safe.”</p><p> </p><p>Professionalism long abandoned and more than suspicious when it came to <em>this</em> agent, Q moved closer and ran his thin fingers down James’ chest and up his sides, misunderstanding the goosebumps. “You know my circulation is not the best—”</p><p> </p><p>“I wouldn’t be an agent if that bothered me,” James interrupted him, brushing some of the wild hair that was the envy of many away from Q’s eyes, instantly noticing that they were slightly puffy and a tad red. “He’s really upset you.”</p><p> </p><p>Q sighed and turned away from James, carefully making his way back into the bedroom while his cats rubbed against his legs. “Don’t upset me more by insisting on talking about it.”</p><p> </p><p>If people knew how easy it was for Q to get James to do what he wanted, they would be upset with Q for not using that power more as well as jealous – especially M and the accounting department. “I managed to reach you this time,” James said as he followed Q into the bedroom, making a beeline for the closet instead of the bed to pull out his pyjamas.</p><p> </p><p>“The only reason I’m here is because of you saving me in the real world as well,” Q softly pointed out, getting comfortable in the bed and turning away from James to give him privacy. “R made sure to include in her report how well-behaved you were despite you going offline to save everyone.”</p><p> </p><p>The mattress dipped as James slipped on his side of the bed – of course, he had a side in Q’s bed even if their relationship didn’t translate into that being a thing and although Q’s lovers didn’t even get to see his bedroom – with his back to him, flinching when Q pushed his cold feet against his calves while a wave of calmness and safety washed over him.</p><p> </p><p>With the fear of failing to protect gone and the sound of Q’s heartbeat steadily thumping into the mattress, James was more than ready to fall back to sleep. Except, Q’s heart was beating differently – faster than normal – and James picked that up just as he was about to be lost to the world and he was more awake than he had been when he had entered Q’s apartment.</p><p> </p><p>“What’s on your mind?”</p><p> </p><p>Weak light flooded the room and James turned to face Q as he sat up in bed, a deep frown etched on his forehead as he twiddled his thumbs in his lap. “I need help with something and I need you to not say anything until I’m done, okay?”</p><p> </p><p>James nodded and then awkward silence spread between them for the following five minutes as Q visibly struggled to find the right words. James spent that time thinking of the most horrible things he could and envisioning all the ways he could prolong someone’s life in the most painful way possible, the white noise in his head getting more unbearable with every second that passed.</p><p> </p><p>“I would be eternally grateful to you if you put me in contact with someone who could help me get comfortable with having sex,” Q said in one breath, face a deep shade of red, eyes fixed on an invisible spot on the sheets.</p><p> </p><p>In their relationship – both professional and whatever it was that was between them outside of work hours – James was the one with the ridiculous requests. James was the one who asked for exploding pens and watches. James was the one who asked for something to be installed on the car that forced the traffic lights to turn to green when it was detected – which was something Q was working on but for the field, not for his personal use while in downtime – and a car that was impervious to everything from bullets to drunk teenagers on bikes not knowing when to hit the brakes.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll kill him,” James finally said, throwing the covers away and jumping out of bed. He had more than clothes in Q’s apartment and the weapons were always improved when he dug them out of whatever corner he hid them in then when he first put them there.</p><p> </p><p>Q was quick to latch himself to James, pushing his face against his back, the tip of his fingers under his waistband. “I do think he had a point, James. You remember how horrible everything was after you saved me, don’t you?”</p><p> </p><p>James froze, memories of that horrible mission flooding his mind. It was supposed to be a simple recon mission for a newbie meant to disprove all the SOS messages and the information with which their servers had started to get flooded a week earlier. James’ handler was sure that everything was a waste of time and funds until a folder appeared right in front of James’ eyes while hacking a computer and he went AWOL alongside his handler.</p><p> </p><p>He found what he would end up referring to as ‘the ghost of Q’ tied in front of a computer with barbwire. He was sickly pale, covered in bruises, and so thin that he couldn’t exactly walk faster than a brisk pace so James had to carry him on his back while the man murmured his story in his ear – a genius with no family kidnapped by slave traders while on vacation when he was a child and treated like a possession by various mobsters who sought to make their businesses better while technologically crippling their enemies.</p><p> </p><p>He’d only suffered through beatings and verbal abuse but he’d seen so many horrible, awful things that he got panic attacks whenever someone that wasn’t his saviour touched him – and even James could only touch his arms. Q had even bitten a few doctors when they tried to wake him up from a nightmare and only calmed down and believed that he was safe when James showed up.</p><p> </p><p>“That has to be done with someone you trust,” James snarled despite allowing Q to pull him back in the bed. “But I guess I can wait until morning before killing him for making you think otherwise.”</p><p> </p><p>“No killing,” Q chided James, rolling him on his back and getting on top of him so he could see his glaring better. “I mean it, James. No torture of any kind either.”</p><p> </p><p>“As long as you understand that I will play no part in this dumb plan of yours and that I am against it will all of my being,” James shot back, silently cursing how hard it was for him to keep his resolve. "As cliche as it sounds, the right person will work with you at your own pace to get you comfortable with sex, not dump you because they got bored of waiting until you are ready." </p><p> </p><p>Sighing, Q rolled off of James and made sure to steal the covers as he cocooned himself in them. “We’re friends, so of course you’re saying that,” he grumbled. “You get bored with someone while sleeping with them so I can’t imagine you waiting for someone who almost had a panic attack the first time you slipped your hands under his shirt.”</p><p> </p><p>Running his hand down the side of the cocoon that had to be Q’s back, James allowed himself a little bit of honesty while also suppressing his renewed murderous intent. “If I were in a relationship with you, I wouldn’t have any problems with waiting. And when you’d finally be ready…” James trailed off, eyes rolling in the back of his head as he lost control over his imagination for a moment, realizing what a bad idea that was when he felt his trousers get tighter. “Pretty sure we wouldn’t leave the bed for at least a week,” he finished in a whisper, rolling out of bed. “Just going for a quick shower,” he quickly explained when Q started to also get up.</p><p> </p><p>“In the blood of your enemies?”</p><p> </p><p>Chuckling, James leaned over and brushed his lips against Q’s forehead – a first for them and something that Q decided that he quite liked if his wrapped arms around James’ neck were any indication. “I much prefer to bathe in the blood of your enemies,” Q frowned and the plump red lips that were only a puckering up away from James’ own turned into a thin line, so James rushed to finish his tease. “However, because you don’t like it when I’m covered in blood so I’ll settle for the water in your shower.”</p><p> </p><p>“Good,” Q said softly, but looking very determined and it was clear to James that he too wanted to do something daring – and that was quickly brushing his lips against James’ chin before dropping back down on the bed and pulling the covers over his head. “Let me know if you need help with anything.”</p><p> </p><p>Thank God that it was practically impossible to run out of cold water. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Comments and kudos are love &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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